Tokyo beckons Phl swimmers

Hitting and surpassing the OST-B is not an assurance for a ticket to the Olympics.

Four Filipino swimmers could be in the running for Olympic slots next year in Tokyo despite not meeting the Olympic Qualifying Time-A (OQT-A).

Remedy Rule, Jasmine Alkhaldi, Luke Gebbie and James Deiparine hit the Olympic Selection Time-B (OST-B) in their respective events and if ever the 878 slots allotted in the Summer Games in the swimming competition are not filled, the International Swimming Federation (FINA) will invite the OST-B swimmers to complete the slots.

Rule hit the OST-B in the 200-meter butterfly and 100-meter freestyle events, Alkhaldi in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle events, Gebbie in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle event and Deiparine in the 100-meter breaststroke events.

Rule became the first Filipino swimmer who clocked an Olympics “B” cut after finishing the 200-meter butterfly event at the TYR Pro Clovis Swim Series in the United States with a time of 2:11.56.

The OQT-A of the women’s 200-meter butterfly event is 2:08.43.

Rule improved her OST-B standing during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games where she clocked 55.89 seconds in the women’s 100-meter freestyle.

Gebbie surpassed the OST-B time of 50.03 seconds in the men’s 100-meter freestyle event during the 2019 Gwangju World Championships where he clocked in 49.94 seconds. The OQT-A here is 48.57 seconds.

Deiparine, who produced the lone gold medal for Team Philippines in the pool competition, also surpassed the “B” cut of one minute and 01.73 seconds in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke as he timed in 1:01.46, too close for the “A” cut of 59.93 seconds for an Olympic slot.

Two-time Olympian Alkhaldi finished 25.48 seconds in the 50-meter freestyle to breach the 25.51 seconds OST-B. The OQT-A in this event is 24.77 seconds.

Hitting and surpassing the OST-B is not an assurance for a ticket to the Olympics as the swimmers will be ranked first and second by FINA before getting those Tokyo slots.